


"we can make it so divine."

by honeyroses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gryffindor!Keith, Hufflepuff!Hunk, Lance (Voltron) Has Anxiety, M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Pansexual Hunk (Voltron), Slow Burn, Slytherin!Lance, Slytherin!Pidge, They're dumbasses at first but I promise they'll love each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 05:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12247731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyroses/pseuds/honeyroses
Summary: Lance's household had always been a parade of golds and scarlets. He'd been taught to find pride in a lion-shaped symbol before he'd even fully understood what it meant. His father had always made a habit of taking him and his siblings to Quidditch matches together, and he remembered being a small child, wide eyes looking over swiftly moving red-clad figures in awe. He was a Gryffindor. He knew it just as well as he knew every single twinkling constellation in the night sky.Turns out the stars lied sometimes.Or alternatively, Lance is a Slytherin who had to learn to love his house and Keith is the Gryffindor golden boy he always dreamed to be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so, long story short, i wrote this out of spite because ppl on twiter kept telling me lance is a gryffindor and keith is a slytherin, which is Factually Inaccurate Information.
> 
> i was pressured by my voltron gc to post this, and i'm rlly nervous so please go easy on me!! this is my first fanfic here on ao3, so i'm sorry if the format or something sucks i promise i'll get the hang of it! i really really love slytherin!lance and gryffindor!keith tho, so i hope you enjoy this just as much as i do!!

His hands shook. He wanted to ball them into fists, but as he felt the unfortunately familiar tug of anxiety pull at his body, he decided to welcome their trembling.

He pressed his spine against the wall behind him, its coldness being somewhat soothing against his sweaty back. The cotton fabric of the old, now slightly stretched out, blue t-shirt that he slept in clung onto his backbone and he forced himself to try and relax. He'd always liked the heat, and it was nearly September, so he knew the air shouldn't feel as thick as it did and the beads of sweat on his forehead should not be there, but he couldn't help it. He was nervous.

Every single year, come August 31st, Lance McClain found himself sneaking into the attic of his parents' house, hidden away in the middle of the night to silently fight the rapid heartbeat in his ears and the tenseness of his muscles.

During his first year, it was the uncertainty that plagued him. Being sorted was not the problem. His household had always been a parade of golds and scarlets. He'd been taught to find pride in a lion-shaped symbol before he'd even fully understood what it meant. His father had always made a habit of taking him and his siblings to Quidditch matches together, and he remembered being a small child, wide eyes looking over swiftly moving red-clad figures in awe. He was a Gryffindor. He knew it just as well as he knew every single twinkling constellation in the night sky.

So, being sorted was not the problem. Leaving his family behind was. Leaving his mother's hugs and her caring grins. The sound of her laughter and her advice. He was aware that it sounded stupid, but he'd always been a mummy's boy. He didn't want to be called a baby or patronized, he knew he had to seem brave. Hence his first escapade into the attic.

Climbing up the latter silently was easier than he would've thought, given his small frame at only 11 years of age. He'd spent the night counting the stars and reminding himself that even if his mother wasn't there, he'd still have his siblings waiting for him every morning, in a common room shared with good, kind people. It could be a home. It would feel like it.

The second year around, he hadn't wanted to face the stars. He'd hid away in the dark, the small window indenting the sloped ceiling of the attic sealed shut. The stars had lied to him.

His robes weren't tinged the warm scarlets and golds that had always surrounded him. They shun silver and green, cold and unfamiliar tones.

His first year hadn't been completely awful. He'd made a few friends in his house, and his grades had been good enough. But he wasn't sure how dark emeralds could feel like home when rubies were all he'd ever known.

Four years later, he wasn't searching for an answer anymore. The tie around his neck didn't feel like a noose, and the emblem on his chest didn't burn his skin. They brought him comfort. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad sometimes. He was a Slytherin. One singular snake in a lion's den.

The most reassuring fact he'd learn in his life was that pythons can eat lions whole. He took pride in his house since his parents didn't seem to do it for him.

His mother assured him it was alright when he told them. Her letter felt genuine, but the missing mention of his father's assurance burned more than it should. His family was still his family. He'd always want to make them proud. This was only a slight obstacle. He'd find a way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance never knows what's more hectic: King's Cross at rush hour or his brain when he's itching to see his friends again.

King's Cross was always hectic. Even if his family didn't devolve into a disorganised mess of rushing limbs- a big ball of flailing arms and legs trampling one another, all echoing different, random shouts in English and Spanish alike as they run haphazardly around the platform. Even if his family was somehow functioning and orderly, the sheer amount of other people hurrying around the platform would be enough to throw them off.

Lance sighed to himself as he was pulled away by the sleeve of his jacket, thankful that small spaces and excessive touching didn't affect him much. He could only imagine what a claustrophobic person would feel like, having to weave their way through a crowd like this one.

The slight crankiness and annoyance that ran through him after having to wake up before 10 in the morning when he had barely slept all night vanished though, as he spotted the familiar sign. Even though it once shun red, now dulled down and worn out by time, the white words were still bright, sharp, and crystal clear.

**9 3/4. HOGWARTS EXPRESS. ELEVEN O'CLOCK.**

He felt a smile pull at his lips right before he finally picked up his pace, Daniela shrieking, suddenly the one being whisked by the hand after almost ten minutes of urging her brother around. He felt his sister's hand drop from his arm and heard his mother call out to him as he started to sprint. His hands tightened around his cart, blue eyes narrowing as he saw an opening. Muggles didn't seem to pay much attention to him as he ran, observing the last wizard in a small queue going through the passageway.

He knew that if he were to slow down another line would start, and the desire to step foot into the train and be amongst his peers made him antsy enough to reject any thought of staying put.

So, he ran. Going through the barrier always sent a slight shiver down his spine and left goosebumps prickling his skin, like a slight cold sheen was placed over his body for a split second before he shook it off and looked around.

The platform itself looked the same as the Muggle one, same dirty concrete ground, same brick walls scattered around, and the same smell of hot metal and smoke tinging the vicinity. But the people always looked so different. Muggles had a way of blending into each other that Lance wasn't quite used to, but the wizarding community he'd grown up a part of was always incredibly distinct. You could tell families and classes apart just by what they wore and how they acted, and he found that transparency useful.

He heard the rest of his family go through the barrier one by one- first Daniela's short frame, bolting through quickly with her eyes sealed shut; then, Caleb, a bit slower this time. He'd always hated running through the passageway, stating that it made him feel funny, so he poked his head out first, chestnut curls passing through and his head emerging slowly before the rest of his body was pushed out, a yelp emitting from his lips as he stumbled, trying to catch his footing and not squash his oldest sister, who rushed away from him.

To no one's surprise, the twins appeared afterwards, a triumphant grin on Isaiah's face, Isabella behind him, giggling into her hands at the sight of their disoriented older brother.

And, last but not least Alexander and Carla McClain stepped through, following their children with a mixture of exasperation and care on their faces. Lance's mother smiled softly, even though she looked like she was about to sigh for the fiftieth time since they'd entered the station; his father moved quickly, not having much time to express his emotions at the disarray- then again, when did he ever?- and helped his oldest son up.

Lance paid no mind to them, used to this random assortment of chaos. Instead, his eyes scanned the crowds, skipping through smiling families and gossiping groups of students, to try and find his own friends.

He didn't have to wait long until a voice called out to him. "Hey, Lance!" He turned around so quickly, he feared his neck would hurt later, but for now, he didn't care, only breaking out running once again. None of his family members tried to stop him this time.

"Hunk! Buddy!" Lance exclaimed, stopping slightly in his tracks before reaching his best friend, as not to trample him. Instead, he threw his arms around Hunk's wide frame. The same smiling face he'd always known awaited him, pearly white teeth contrasting his dark toned skin as he giggled. Hunk hugged him back tightly as he laughed at Lance's excitement, knowing full well the boy couldn't wait to be in school again.

"Do you seriously get taller every time I see you? You're already a tree, how is this fair?" One exceptionally tired voice called out. Same ginger tufts of hair with a mind of their own and a freckle dotted face, complete with thin-rimmed, circular glasses too big for their face, Pidge hadn't changed at all.

"Nice to see you too, you little gremlin," Lance stated, placing his arm on Pidge's head and leaning against them to spite them. Pidge shoved him off roughly, but still let Lance hug them as they adjusted their messy hair- there was a method to that madness, one that Lance would never really figure out. "Your slightly taller clone didn't come drop you off?" He questioned, not spotting their family anywhere.

Pidge rolled their eyes. "Matt and my parents left already. Mum was being sentimental and wanted to stay, but my dad had to rush to work, so Matt went with them."

"Yeah, my parents left already, too. They dropped me off after we Apparated." Hunk mentioned, shrugging as Lance nodded.

"Honestly, we should probably start doing that. Easier than trying to go through this mess of a station with my siblings- speaking of which, I left my-" He got cut off by a voice behind him.

"You left your cart behind." He turned around to see Daniela's green eyes facing him, eyebrows raised as a small smirk tugged at her lips, hands steadying both her and her little brother's carts.

Lance winced. "Sorry, I just..." He trailed off, pointing behind him, his sister nodding knowingly, now smiling as she looked over his shoulder, standing on her tiptoes.

"Hey, guys." She greeted. Lance looked past her to see his siblings saying goodbye to his parents and scattering around to find their own friends, but before he could check the clock on the wall, his sister spoke again. "Go say bye."

The look on her face was understanding, but there was a warning there, one that Lance understood really well. He was aware his siblings knew he didn't feel at home outside of school. That most of that feeling derived from their father. Still, he remembered the twins asking if he was "evil now" after he finished his first year. His mother said no, his father stayed quiet.

Lance nodded, moving away from his now chatting friends and sister and towards his parents. His mother hugged him tightly- there was an underlying sense of sadness in her embrace that he'd come to expect. It always made his stomach drop.

His father had always been a curt man, straight to the point especially after his son was sorted. Lance hadn't expected a hug. "Good luck, son." Was all he said. Once upon a time, Lance would've been upset, remembering his father's proud smile the first time he'd wished him goodbye on that station. He didn't dwell on it much now. He'd see that smile again, he knew he would, no matter what colour his robes were.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Express train rides are great. Keith Kogane, Lance thinks, is not.

Lance sighed dramatically as he dropped himself down on one of the train compartment's seats, hands falling over his face as he stretched his legs over the ever-so-slightly uncomfortable chairs. Keeping his eyes closed, he heard Hunk chuckle to himself, and he assumed Pidge rolled their eyes before he felt their hands push his legs out of the way. His feet hit the ground with a thud and he sat up, sighing. "Really feeling the love here, gremlin." He muttered under his breath, pretending not to notice Pidge sticking their tongue out to him.

As the train to began moving, Lance began asking them about their summers, always having hated awkward silences. Pidge was quite opposite, never minding a peaceful quiet in between people they cared about, but they always went along with Lance's antics, listening closely as Hunk started detailing his summer back in Samoa.

"It was fun. I got to see my little cousins and my grandparents again. Tina asked about you, she said she wants to cook for you and Caleb again. You guys should all come visit sometime." He shrugged, making Lance chuckle at the nonchalant expression on his face. He envied Hunk sometimes. He was so close with his family, even after he was sorted into a different house than his parents. They genuinely meant it when they said they didn't mind he was in Hufflepuff, it wasn't just an empty promise of acceptance to clear their own conscience.

Lance shook himself away from whatever daze was threatening to take over him, answering his childhood friend instead. "Past couple of years, we've been so busy with the O.W.L's and everything, but I promise we'll drop by. I miss your mum! ...Miss her food too." He felt himself smile before raising his eyebrows. "Wait, how's the broom?!" That made Pidge's eyes snap up from their hands, hazel eyes wide with realization, and Lance almost felt like a lightbulb went off in their head.

"It's almost done! We just need a few more finishing touches. I have some other cool suggestions for the design," Hunk turned to Pidge, who nodded eagerly before he even completed his thought sequence. "Do you wanna h-" They cut him off.

"Yes! I already have a couple ideas I could show you once we're in school." Pidge sounded excited, and Lance leaned back on his seat, observing his friends.

Hunk had been crafting brooms with his father back home for as long as Lance could remember. It was part of their family business and a passion they had shared for generations. His father was one of the only individual broom makers still in business. The small shop they owned in Diagon Alley was well regarded and prestigious- most of their brooms were sold as collector's items at high prices more than they were sold as actual racing ones. People with enough funds always seemed to drop the galleons, though, so they never really seemed to mind.

Hunk always swore he'd design a broom that could compete with a Nimbus, though. The fastest one of all, he'd say. Lance admired his determination, deciding never to mention how the 'finishing touches' that were usually mentioned when the broom was brought up had been in the works for the past couple of years.

He was thankful for the topic change though, as Pidge's voice rang out again. He did great at school, but this sense of engineering had never been his forté. "Also, please don't mention the bloody O.W.Ls. I'm so close to hexing myself to get out of them, it's unreal." They muttered under their breath, fidgeting nervously with their fingers. Lance noticed their nails were already bit down to stumps and took in the edge on the frustrated sound lacing their voice.

He sighed. He knew them well enough to recognize when he should intervene or stay quiet- he knew the look of self-doubt better than anyone. "Pidge," He called out, voice soft as his friend raised their eyebrows, faux indifference radiating off their tiny frame as they rushed to fall back into their neutral expression. "You're a genius. You're one of the smartest people I know. You've got this." He assured Pidge, making them laugh halfheartedly. "Seriously, you're always like this. You worry yourself sick but I know you'll get straight O's."

"Shut up-" Pidge giggled, rolling their eyes as they shoved him lightly, but Lance continued.

"Push comes to shove we sneak a Calming Draught for you from the infirmary." He meant what he said but Pidge still shoved him a second time, making his back hit the compartment's wall with a thud, Lance emitting something that fell between a laugh and a groan.

Pidge cackled as Hunk scoffed lightly. Once they settled down, the Hufflepuff boy spoke again, like the pause in conversation never happened. "Or, we could always just ask for the Calming Draught instead of-" He stopped himself mid-sentence, seeing the raised eyebrows and rolled eyes coming his way. "Slytherins..." He muttered jokingly under his breath, before protests erupted from his friends, making him giggle.

"Oi, the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lance spoke a little louder than needed, but that just made the whole ordeal funnier as Pidge frowned sarcastically, backing him up.

"Do you really wanna pull this thread when your house animal is a badger?" They questioned. Most people would've taken offence to the comment, but Hunk was used to his friends' bitter humour- and shared some of it too- so he raised his hands in surrender, eyes closed as laughter took over his voice box. "We all know you lot are high 90% of the time, anyway."

"You'd think the Ravenclaws would be the ones always getting high," Lance said slyly, raising an eyebrow as Pidge groaned in response. "But you guys do live by the kitchen, so it does make sense you're always baked."

"Shut up with the puns!" Pidge cried out as the older Slytherin snickered to himself, complying and holting the jokes.

Not too long after that, they decided to change into their uniforms, leaving Pidge to change inside the compartment as the two boys lined up at the entrance of the small men's bathroom.

There was something soothing about putting on his uniform for the first time at the beginning of the year. Lance had always enjoyed expressing his own style of clothing, sure, but tieing the silver striped emerald tie around his neck always felt like coming home. He took a moment as he stared himself down in the small, slightly dull mirror.

His skin made the white button-up shirt he wore seem brighter, his tan complexion almost darkening against it, contrasting it well. Lance had always been quite dramatic, so he felt himself sigh almost blissfully as he wrapped his tie around his neck. He tied it slowly, making sure it was positioned correctly and didn't seem too tight before he slipped the thin grey jumper over his body, adjusting the collar of his button-up and his tie under the V-shaped neckband of the sweater.

Taking one last look at himself, he cuffed up the sleeves of the buttoned shirt, pulling them up as he smiled at the snake emblem on his chest before exiting the small bathroom. Dodging the line of students ready to get dressed, he started to make his way back to his friends.

Only before he reached their compartment, he was pushed back, a shoulder ramming into his side, making him stumble back. "Watch where you're going." The figure muttered gruffly, Lance only catching a glimpse of dark eyes and a thin nose before the boy turned.

"Watch where I'm going? You're the one who bumped into m-" But his words fell on deaf ears as the boy was already walking away. Lance narrowed his eyes, still being able to spot the red and yellow stripes around his neck, almost concealed by the ends of his dark hair. He would've recognized him anywhere.

Anger always made him jittery and as he balled his hands into fists, he felt the need to call the boy back, having a few choice words for him. But, too many people and too tiny of a hallway, even if he punched him, there was a big chance of hurting someone else if they did fight. Besides, it was only the beginning of the year, he didn't want to get in trouble already.

So, he swallowed back the insults threatening to spill from his throat and kept his shaking hands by his sides, rushing down the corridor and shutting the door behind him as he entered the compartment.

"Woah there, buddy, you alright?" Hunk was the first to question him, already clad in his yellow robes. He noticed Lance's tight jaw, the way his lips were set on a straight line, and most of all he noticed the glare clouding his friend's blue eyes.

"Kogane." Was all Lance had to say. Hunk nodded inwardly, holding back a sigh. Pidge didn't share the same tactfulness, exhaling exasperatedly. Lance didn't seem to notice or care, frame still tense as he sat back down, grumbling to himself. "Fucking twat shoves me in the middle of the hallway and still has the nerve to say it was my fault," Hunk still managed to look understanding and caring while most likely already tuning Lance's probably incoming rant out, but Pidge spoke up.

"He's really not that bad." By the end of their sentence, Lance's head had already snapped up, eyes narrowing slightly as he prepared to refute his friend's words, the ginger cutting him short before he even began. "He's not. I've spent every summer with him since I was seven, Lance. I've known him and Shiro for over half of my life. Keith's a good guy, you just never gave him a chance." Pidge's voice was ever so slightly accusatory, but Lance knew they didn't mean anything by it.

They'd always been close to the Gryffindor boy, both in school and out of it, having grown up constantly in each other's houses, given their brothers' relationship. Keith Kogane had always been something akin to a best friend for Pidge.

Though, of course, with their luck, the first genuine friend they had made in their house had to be Keith's sworn enemy. No one outside of their trio, Keith included, really knew why Lance despised the boy so much. Most guessed it was simply an academic competition, the two usually fighting for the number one spot in most of their shared classes- or just good old Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry stemming from way too much house pride.

At the end of the day, it somehow ended up being simultaneously both and neither. It was a topic Lance was rather quiet on and something his friends had picked up on exclusively from context clues. There seemed to be something about Keith's identity as Gryffindor's Golden Boy that sparked a sense of jealousy inside the Slytherin. Something the latter would never admit, and most would never guess, and yet it still sparked over half a decade's worth of conflict.

And Pidge was stuck in the midst of it. They had Hunk to share the burden with most of the time, and though he loved Lance, he didn't know Keith like they did. Two of Pidge's favourite people in the whole world were caught up in a fight neither of them truly understood, and while most of the time it seemed harmless, it hurt them both in different ways.

Because Keith mere existence seemed to be enough to wear down Lance's self-esteem to a worrying degree, and Lance's blind competitivity always awoke a side of Keith he'd rather keep hidden. And yet neither of them seemed to be able to let bygones be bygones.

It was exhausting, to say the least, and the youngest Holt constantly had to deal with insulting rants on both ends, which made it difficult to remain impartial. But they were trying to make their peace with it since the feud seemed everlasting. All they could hope for was the eventuality of a little quiet.

**Author's Note:**

> the title of this fanfic is from "ribs" by lorde.


End file.
